Good municipal governance key to improve quality of life

As the dust settles on the municipal elections and a new civic body takes over the reins to steer its future course, the focus will be on how the cities are governed by the new board.

TNN | Updated: Feb 24, 2017, 08:41 IST

PUNE: As the dust settles on the municipal elections and a new civic body takes over the reins to steer its future course, the focus will be on how the cities are governed by the new board.
Though it has been 135 years since Lord Ripon’s resolution of local self-government laid the foundation for the democratic form of municipal governance in India, municipal governance came of age only recently. Until the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act (CAA) was passed in 1992, urban local bodies (ULBs) such as the municipal corporations, municipalities and nagar panchayats did not have powers to function as independent institutions of self-government. The amendment empowered ULBs to collect taxes, elect council members, constitute ward committees and district/metropolitan planning committee and handle receipts and disbursements.

In that respect, municipal corporations play a huge role in the city’s development, says urban planner Aneeta Gokhale Benninger. “It is not always possible for the state government to reach out to the grassroots, civic bodies do that job,” points out Abhay Chhajed, senior Congress leader and former corporator.

“Actually, a civic body is also a planning authority and is stipulated to carry out the development of a city. Its first priority is town planning and is supposed to draw up the plans and programmes. The state government only ratifies them. Anything that happens in the city is courtesy the town planning body. Besides, a civic body has to carry out work related to public health, welfare, regulatory functions, public safety, public infrastructure works and development activities as mentioned in the Twelfth Schedule of Constitution,” says Benninger.

Not all the functions mentioned in the schedule are obligatory for civic bodies across the country as different states have enacted legislations to delegate functions across various departments. For example, while the Delhi Municipal Corporation carries out the functions of garbage collection, garbage disposal, street lighting, construction and maintenance of roads, the Delhi Development Authority is tasked with land acquisition and development works.

While functions like urban forestry, protection of environment and planning for the social and economic development are obligatory for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, for the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) these are discretionary functions. The Greater Chennai Corporation is responsible for maintenance work and repayment of loans, water supply. The sewerage work is carried out by the state public health engineering department.

Such differences apart, municipal bodies play a crucial role in making or marring a city. “Civic bodies need to encourage citizens’ participation, empowerment of women and sustainable development. Only then we can grow and prosper,” says Vandana Chavan, former Pune mayor and MP National Congress Party.

Especially, for a growing city like Pune, civic bodies should focus on development of infrastructure because of influx of migratory population, growth of slums, check carbon emission and concentrate on the health and well-being of people, observes Gohat.

“Today, Pune Municipal Corporation spends a huge amount of money in paying salary to the staff, many of whom are deputed from the revenue department and have no knowledge of town planning. It would help if the corporation could rope in planners, developers and philanthropists for the city’s development,” he adds.

Some people believe that the problem lies with the way municipal corporations are “controlled” by vested interests. “Every government which comes to power do not delegate enough power to the municipal corporations. In India, a mayor is just a titular head. Whereas, in New York, the city police commissioner is under the direct supervision of the mayor. He is so powerful that he has the gumption to contradict the President on immigration. This is unthinkable in India. In our country, while the mayor does not have enough powers, a municipal commissioner wields a lot of powers. This needs to change.”

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